Sign illuminated by electric current.



Patented Nov. 25, I902.

No. 7|4,2s3..

E. PLANQDN. SIGN ILLUNHHATED 3V ELECTRIC CURRENT. (Appliution filed. Apr. 11, 1902.)

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ATENT EMILE PLANQON, OF. LINGEVRES, FRANCE.

SIGN ILLUMINATED BY ELECTRIC CURRENT.

3PEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,233, dated November 25, 1902.

Application filed April 11, 1902. serial No. 102,467. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Beitknown thatI,EMILE PLAN oN,teach er,

a citizen of the French Republic, and a resident of Lingevres, near Tilly-sur-Seulles,Calvados, France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Signs Illuminated by Electrical Current, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to signs which are illuminated by electrical current.

In the accompanying drawings such an improved sign is shown.

Figure 1 represents a view of the plate on which the sign is represented. Fig.2 shows, on a larger scale, a part of the groove forming the sign. Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side view of a sign-board of modified construction.

The signs are made as follows: The name or the design to be advertised is engraved on a glass plate 1 in such a manner that all the lines orletters which form the word,the name, the picture, the escutcheon, or the like are connected with each other and run continuously from one end of the glass plate to the other. The glass plate may be of any color, and the grooves 2, forming the lines of the sign to be advertised, are lined with any suitable material of a color contrasting with the color of the glass plate to make the sign visible in the day-time. For this purpose, for example, small strips 3 of colored glass could be used. The lining material must in any case be chosen so that it is not acted upon by the electric current. On the glass plate 1 with the engraved sign another plate 4 of clear glass is pasted, so that the first plate is entirely covered and the signs can be seen through the upper plate.

To illuminate the sign, an electric current is used, which can be applied in several ways. For example, small metal plates 5 may be fixed in the grooves forming the sign in such a manner that the points of the different metal plates are somewhat distant from each other. These metal plates 5 are of course applied to the grooves 2 before the aforementioned cover plate 4 is fixed. To both ends of the groove 2 electric wires 6 7 are connected in the wellknown manner, and the electric current is sent through these metal plates, the letters thereby becoming lighting-tubes.

Another manner of illuminating the sign is as follows: The ends of the grooves 2, forming the sign, are covered at the edges of the glass plates 1 4 by metal plates 8 9 after a vacuum has been obtained in the grooves.

When the electric current is connected to the two metal covers 8, the continuous tube 2, which forms the sign, becomes lucid, similar to the Geissler tubes.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Improved signs illuminated by electrical current consisting of a glass plate, a groove forming the sign out into this glass plate, a lining for the groove of suitable material colored differently from said glass plates, small rectangular metal plates arranged in said groove from one end to the other, the edges of the plates being somewhat distant from each other, a cover-plate of clear glass pasted on the plate bearing the sign and electric conducting-wires connected with the ends of the grooves forming the sign, substantially as described and shown and for the purpose set forth.

2. An improved sign illuminated by electrical current comprising in combination a base-plate, a groove engraved on said plate forming the sign and running from one end of the plate to the other, a lining for said groove of suitable material and of a color differing from the color of the base-plate, a cover-plate of clear glass pasted on the baseplate, metal plates covering the ends of the groove forming the sign, a vacuum in the groove and electric conducting-wires connected with said metal plates, substantially as described and shown and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EMILE PLANQON.

Witnesses:

VICTOR LUIvEY BONNETT, MAURICE GEORGE. BONET. 

